Three passengers aboard an American Airlines flight at San Francisco International Airport were injured Friday afternoon after they were forced to flee the plane on the runway after the cabin filled with smoke, authorities said.
According to American Airlines, the source of the fumes that caused the chaos was a laptop in a passenger's bag.
As passengers boarded American Airlines Flight 2045 bound for Miami, a passenger's bag began emitting smoke, American Airlines said in a statement.
San Francisco Fire Department Capt. Jonathan Baxter said, “The aircraft was evacuated and SFFD responded to extinguish the source of the smoke.”
Passengers were transported back to the terminal.
Baxter said three minor injuries were reported during the evacuation, one requiring medical transport.
San Francisco International Airport initially said the incident occurred as the plane was heading into the terminal, but later clarified that the aircraft stopped at the gate.
Passenger Mati Cesario reported on X that the problem occurred shortly before takeoff at around 12:30 pm and that passengers were forced to escape on inflatable emergency ramps.
“It was a desperate situation until someone opened the middle door and we were able to escape as we were all blocked in the hallway. Some people [were] “Slightly injured,” Cesario said in his post.
In a statement, American Airlines said the smoke originated from a passenger's bag.
“The crew quickly removed the suitcase and all customers exited the aircraft,” the statement read. “We thank the crew for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”
Passenger Chris Vogt wrote in a social media post that someone's bag in the cabin caught fire.
“There was a bit of a stampede, people were yelling ‘Fire in the back!’ and running for the doors,” Vogt wrote. “We are still waiting to get back on the plane and get our stuff, and the flight attendant says they don’t know what will happen next, but they will probably move us.”
Photos from news station KABC-TV showed firefighters placing what appeared to be a laptop into a tub of water on the tarmac outside the plane.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate the incident.
The dramatic scene unfolded at 12:15 p.m. aboard an Airbus A321 scheduled to take off from San Francisco shortly after 2 p.m. and arrive at Miami International Airport at 10:43 p.m. (US Eastern Time). Following the fire, passengers were told they would depart several hours later and arrive in Miami shortly before 2 a.m. (US Eastern Time).
